BBC to offer iPlayer platform to rival broadcasters?
- Added:
- Sep 14, 2009
The BBC has said its iPlayer online video platform could be opened up to rival broadcasters.
The broadcaster revealed the plans last week at the IBC 2009 conference in Amsterdam.
Eric Huggers, BBC director of future media and technology, said in a speech at the event the corporation is planning to create an "Open iPlayer" which would allow third parties to offer content on their own versions of the service.
Part of plans to share the BBC's technology with others, the plans will need approval from the BBC Trust.
Revealing that the most searched term on the iPlayer was "Coronation Street", Huggers said: "It is about making sure each of the broadcasters around the world can continue to have a direct relationship with their users".
Earlier this year, the Project Kangaroo video-on-demand (VOD) platform developed by UKVOD LLP, a joint venture set up by BBC Worldwide, ITV and Channel 4 was blocked by the Competition Commission.
The watchdog ruled it posed too much of a risk to competition in the video-on-demand sector.
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